Who's Using What – and Where? National Drug Use Statistics

An overview of drug use prevalence rates by region.

Drug use rates in the 15 largest metropolitan areas (Data tracked from 2002-2005)

Drug Use Statistics

The percentage of people (age 12 and over) admitting to using any illicit drug within the last month.

• National average=8.1%
• San Francisco=12.7%
• Seattle=9.6%
• Detroit=9.5%
• Philadelphia=9.1%
• Boston=8.5%
• Atlanta=8.3%
• Chicago=8.2%
• Los Angeles=8.2%
• Miami=8.2%
• New York=7.6%
• Phoenix=7.6%
• Dallas=6.5%
• San Bernardino=6.5%
• D.C.=6.5%
• Houston=6.2%

*Data from 2006 indicates a slight rise in drug use, with a national average at 8.3%, equating to 20.4 million people using illegal drugs in any given month.

*Marijuana is the most often abused drug, with 14.3 million American users each month.

*Seven million people abuse prescription drugs each month, and there were 2.4 million current cocaine users in 2006.

*Of the 17.9 million drug users aged 18 or older 74.9% or 13.4 million, were employed.

*10.2 million people drove a car while under the influence of drugs in 2006.

*4 million people got drug treatment (inpatient or outpatient) in 2006. An estimated 23.6 million Americans needed treatment in 2006.

Alcohol Use Statistics

The percentage of people (over the age of 12) admitting to binge drinking within the last month.

• US average=22.7%
• Chicago=25.7%
• Houston=25.6%
• Boston=25.0%
• Phoenix=24.6%
• Detroit=24.3%
• Philadelphia=24.3%
• San Francisco=23.1%
• Dallas=22.2%
• Miami=21.7%
• Seattle=21.7%
• New York=21.3%
• Atlanta=19.7%
• D.C.=19.0%
• San Bernardino=19.0%
• L.A.=18.6

*89.9% of people trying alcohol for the first time were under the age of 21.

*51.8% of Americans drink alcohol.

*In 2006, 30.5 million people drove a car while under the influence of alcohol.